Grasveld en bomen c. 1944 - 1990

Kees Stoop made this print of a meadow and trees using etching. Imagine the artist bent over the metal plate, patiently incising lines to create this intricate scene. What strikes me most is the sheer labor involved, the thousands of tiny marks that build up to create this rich, velvety image. You can feel the artist's hand moving across the surface, guided by a deep understanding of light and shadow. I wonder what Stoop was thinking as he created this scene. Was he trying to capture a specific place, or was he more interested in the feeling of being in nature? There’s something deeply satisfying about the materiality of this print. It's a reminder that art is not just about ideas, but also about the physical act of making. Stoop shares with other artists an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring creativity and embracing ambiguity.